Rotary engine.



No. 878,327. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

' J. L. ADAMS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5. 1907.

a Sums-9112121 1.

airman J. L. ADAMS.

No. 878,327. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLI 5, 1907.

OATIOI FILED JUNE 5 SHEETS-IBEBT 2 No- 878,327. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. J. L. ADAMS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5 1907 6 SHEETPSHEH 4 'No. 878,327. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

J. L. ADAMS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5. 1907.

5 SHEETS-811E111 B.

JOHN L. ADAMS, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed June 5. 1907. Serial No. 377,389.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce, State of W'a shington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rotary engines, and it has particular reference to an engine of this class which includes swinging valves disposed in the steam chamber and operable to coact with the pistons in their movement in either direction. I

In connection with an engine constructed generally as above described, the invention aims as a primary object to provide a novel means for reversing its direction, such means residing more specifically in the provision of a novel form of steam chest and a novel cutoff valve plate.

The invention aims as a further object to provide an engine in which efficiency, compactness, simplicity and economy in opera tion and maintenance and inexpensiveness to manufacture and absence of vibration and noise are combined.

The invention iinally aims to provide a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the details of which will appear in the course of the following description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, like characters of reference designating similar parts throughout the several views, wherein:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of an engine constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the arrangement of the gears for operating the valves in the steam chamber. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation looking at the inner side of the cylinder head which carries the steam chest. Fig. is a section taken longitudinally through the steam chest. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the reversing valve plate. Fig. 7 is a detailed perspective view of one of the valves in the steam cylinder, the remaining valves being counterparts in construction. Fig. 8

is an end elevation of a throttle and controlling valve embodied in the invention. Fig. 9 is a central longitudinal section centrally through such valve. Fig. 10 is a central longitudinal section taken through said valve adjacent the working end thereof. Fig. 11 is a view illustrating the gearing for automatically operating the controlling valve when the engine is reversed. Fig. 12 is an elevation of a plate employed to retain the reversing valve plate in position.

Referring specifically to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the engine cylinder, 2 the cylinder head at one side thereof, and 3 the cylinder head at the opposite side theroof. The cylinder 1 is enlarged at its base and formed with projecting flanges 4, by means of which it may be secured to a suitable bed or foundation. The cylinder heads 2 and 3 are formed with recessed faces 5 to receive bearings 6, the latter having extensions 7, which are secured by bolts 8 to the said cylinder heads beyond said recessed faces. The power shaft 8 is journaled in the bearings 6 and at one side of the engine carries the usual fly-Wheel 9. As arbitrarily shown more particularly in Fig. 3, the cylinder 1 is provided at three equi-distant points with longitudinal curved extensions 11, having inner concave bearing faces 12. The cylinder heads 2 and 3- are likewise formed at corresponding intervals with openings 13, which are defined by annular flanges 14 projecting beyond said cylinder heads to the same degree as the extensions 11, project beyond the cylinder 1, the openings 13 being alined with said. extensions at each side of said cylinder.

The extensions 11, and the flanges 14, constitute bearings for cylindrical plug valves 15, having projecting trunnions 16. The valves 15 are formed with solid end portions 17 which are disposed in the confines of the flanges 14 as bearings and are each formed in their body portions with longitudinal recesses 18 having curved faces. Countersunk into the rounded outer faces of said valves are packing strips 19 which bear against the extensions 11, and against the face of the casting which carries the pistons and which will be more fully described hereinafter. Secured to the flanges 14 are retaining plates 20, by means of bolts 21. The plates 20 are constructed with central openings 22 through which the trunnions 16 are projected. The

shaft 8 carries at one end thereof, a pinion 23 and the trunnions 16 carry at corresponding ends pinions 24 which are in mesh with and are driven from the pinion 23. The cylinder head 3 is constructed with a steam chest 25 which is formed with an outer steam chamber 26 and an inner steam chamber 27, the division wall 28 therebetween being of irregular form so as to constitute said chambers alternately of reduced and increased thickness. Communicating with the chambers 26 and 27 are independent conductors 28 and 30, which lead from a controlling valve 31, the latter being illustrated more particularly in Figs. 8 and 9. The valve 31 comprises a cylindrical casing 32 and a plug 33 conformably journaled therein. Leading into one side of the casing 32 is an inlet pipe 34 from a steam boiler and leading from the other side of the casing 32 is an exhaust pipe 35.

The plug 33 is formed with a central opening 36 in line with the diameter thereof, and extending to one face thereof, the opening 36 being in communication with a passage 37 having a flaring mouth 38 which is designed to register with the pipe 34. At each side of the opening 36 are openings 39 and 40 which are parallel therewith and which communicate with an enlarged exhaust passage 41 cut into the plug 33 and formed to register with the exhaust pipe 35.

The plug 33 is formed with a centrally located stem 42 which is projected through an opening in the adjacent side of the casing 32 and which carries a pinion sector 43 and a hand wheel 44, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth.

The steam chest 25 has its inner face stepped to receive a reversing valve plate 45 loosely surrounding the shaft 8 and mounted for partial rotation and a retaining plate 46 secured by screws 46 to the head 3 and serving to prevent axial displacement of the plate 45. Within the cylinder 1 the shaft 8 carries a casting 47 which is formed with projecting curved pistons 48, the latter being formed with packing strips 49 and being designed to work in the recesses 18 of the valves 15.

The valves are so proportioned that their surface travels at the same rate of speed as the face of the casting 47 upon which said valves bear and the recesses 18 are so proportioned that their curved surfaces conform during the rotation of said valves 15 as they rotate, to the inner bore of the cylinder; in other Words, the form is such that as the piston enters the recess the edge of the recess is just even with the inner bore of the cylinder and as the piston moves forward, and the valve rotates, the end of the piston remains in contact with the curved surfaces of the recess 18, leaving it as the edge of said recess comes even with the inner bore of the cylinder on the opposite side of the extension 11.

As previously intimated the reversing valve plate 45 is mounted for partial rotation and with this object in view is formed with a curved slot 50 having its inner end provided with pinion teeth 51. Projected through the steam chest 25 is a shaft 52 which carries on its inner end a pinion 53 in mesh with the teeth 51 and on its outer end a bevel pinion 54. The latter is in mesh with a bevel pinion 55 carried upon the end. of a shaft 56 disposed at right angles to the shaft 52 and journaled in a bore 56 out along the line of a radius through the cylinder head 3.

The shaft 56 projects beyond said cylinder head and carries a hand wheel 57 and a bevel pinion 58. The pinion 58 meshes with a similar pinion 59 provided at one end of ashaft 60. The shaft 60 carries at its other end a bevel pinion 61, which meshes with the pinion sector 43 provided upon the stem 42 of the plug 33. It will thus be apparent that the valve plate 45 is controlled by manual movement of the shaft 56 through the con nections described, and that such manual movement not only serves to vary the position of the valve plate in accordance with the movement desired for the shaft 8, but likewise simultaneously operates the plug 33 to control the introduction and exhaust of steam into and from the respective chambers 26 and 27.

In addition to the automatic control of the valve 31, the same may be used as a throttle valve to entirely shut off the supply of steam to the engine by manually rotating the plug 33, the hand wheel 44 being provided for this purpose, the plug 33 being formed for rotation in either direction in the accomplishment of this function.

In addition to the combination of elements above described, the invention resides in the provision of a novel arrangement of steam and exhaust passages in the steam chest, reversing valve plate and rotary casting 47, whereby the full amount of piston area is available the minute steam enters the working space 62 between the casing 1, and the casting 47 and whereby the steam may be cut off at either one-half or one-fourth stroke in the movement of the engine in either direction. With this object in view the casting 47 is formed in its face adjacent the head 3 and adjacent each piston 48 with a plurality of correspondingly arranged grooves affording passages for steam between the steam chest and the working space 62. These grooves are arranged in corresponding pairs and are designated by the numerals 63 and 63, and 64 and 64. The grooves 63 and 63 communicatewith a groove 65 which extends radially in the face of the web and partially into the curved surface of the piston 48. The grooves 64 and 64 communicate with a groove 66 extending radially in the face of the web and partially into the curved surface of the'piston '48 on an Opposite side to the groove 65. These several grooves 63, 63, 64 and 64, are arranged successively from the outer surface to the center of the casting 47 and are curved in concentric relation. The grooves 63 and 64 are employed as steam and exhaust grooves, while the grooves 63 and 64 are employed only as steam grooves.

' As above noted, the division wall 28 is of irregular form so as to divide the respective chambers 26 and 27 into alternately curved greater passages 26 and 27 and reduced passages 26 and 27 The inner wall of the steam chest 25 is provided with outer and inner ports 67 and 68 at one end thereof and with a single port 69 at the other end thereof, the port 69 being on the line of the arc of a circle S drawn between the same and the port 67. The several ports 68 are on the line of the are of a circle T drawn only between said ports. Outer and inner ports 70 and 71 are provided at one end of the passage 27 and on the opposite side of the division wall to the ports 67 and 68, and a single port 72 is provided in the side of the steam chest 25 at the other end of the passage 27 a and on the opposite side of the division wall to the port 69. The ports 70 and 72 are on the line of the arc of a circle U drawn therebetween and the ports 71 are on the line of a circle V drawn between the same and one another.

The valve plate 45 is formed with an elongated port 73 designed to register with the port 67 and with a shorter port 75 designed to register with the port 68, the port 74 being arranged at one end of the port 73 and inwardly thereof. Said valve plate is likewise provided with an elongated port 75 designed to register with the port 69. Inwardly of the port 73 an elongated port 76 is provided which is designed to register with the port 70 and inwardly of the port 76 and at one end thereof, the end opposite to the port 74, is a short length port 77 which is designed to register with the port 71. Inwardly of the port is an elongated port 78 which is designed to register with the port 72. Inasmuch as three cylinder valves and pistons are arbitrarily shown it will be apparent that the various ports for controlling the admission of steam to the pistons will be arranged in series of three and that when the number of pistons is increased the other parts will be increased in number correspondingly.

It will be understood that the retaining plate 46 is provided with openings which will correspond with the openings 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 and 72 in the steam chest, and will always be in registry with the openings in the plate 45 when the latter is in registry with the respective and proper ones of the openings above referred to and as will be set forth in the following paragraph.

Inasmuch as the openings in the plate 46 correspond exactly to the openings in the steam chest, it is not deemed necessary to describe the same in detail.

The operation of the engine is as follows: Assuming that the pistons 48 are moving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4 and that the valves 15 are in the position shown, the plug 33 is in such position that steam is admitted into the chamber 26 in the cylinder head 3. The valve plate 45 is in such position that the port 67 is open to the port 73, and that the port 69 is closed to its controlling port 75. In this relation of the valve plate 45 the ports 70 and 72 will be open to their controlling ports 76 and 78. The valve plate 45 now controls steam through the ports mentioned, the remaining ports of the steam chest being closed. Steam flows from the chamber 26, through the port 67, through the port 73 in the valve plate 45 into the groove 63, in the casting 47, thence up through the groove 65 into the space between the piston and the recessed face of the valve 15. The steam thus introduced into the working space 62 forces the piston away from said valve, and the exhaust from the opposite side of the piston simultaneously flows through the ports 76 and 78 of the valve plate 45 and through the ports 70 and 72 into the chamber 27 in the cylinder head from whence it exhausts by way of pipe 29 through opening 39, and throttle valve 31, and then through passage 41 and exhaust pipe 35. The steam commences its exhaust through the opening 70 of the steam chest 25 and completes its exhaust through the opening 72, it being understood that the groove 64 is of such length that as it leaves the opening 70 it comes into registry with the opening 72 and that when it leaves the opening 72 it comes into communication with the next port 70 which is in the same position and relation to the next valve as the first port 78 is to the one from where the start was made. By means of this arrangement of ports all exhaust steam is excluded at the termination of each stroke.

It will be understood that the same events are taking place sinniltaneously at the other two pistons, whereby the force of the steam is equally distributed. In reversing the engine, the valve plate 45 is rocked through the means described in the direction opposite to that in which the engine is running, a distance slightly more than the length of the port 67 so that said port 67 remains open and the port 69 which was closed on the forward movement of the engine becomes open on the reverse and the port 72 which was open on the forward movement of the engine becomes closed on the reverse. The inlet of steam is changed at the same time by the manipulation of the valve 31 from the chamber 26 to the chamber 27 and flows from said chamber 27 through the port 70 and its controlling port 76 into the groove 64 and through the groove 66 into the space between the piston 48 and the valve 15. The piston is thus forced in the opposite direction and the steam on the opposite side is exhausted through the ports 73 and 75 of the valve plate and through the ports 67 and 69 of the steam chest into the chamber 26 from whence it exhausts by means of the pipe 30, opening 40 of the plug 33, passage 4]. and exhaust pipe 35. In these two relations of'the valve plate 45 steam will be cut off at the half stroke.

' If it is desired to cut off steam at the onefourth stroke on the reverse movement of the engine, the cut-off valve is moved in the direction in which the engine is running slightly more than the length of the ports 69 and 70 at which time the ports 77 in the valve plates 45 comes into registry with the port 71 in the steam chest. Thus steam will flow from the chamber 27 through the orts 71 and 77 into the short groove 63 anc into the groove 65.

Steam is cut oil as soon as the groove 63 passes the port 71. On the forward movement of the engine for the cut off at the onefourth stroke, the valve plate 45 is moved in an opposite direction from which the engine is running until its port 7 4 registers With the port 68 at which time the steam will flow from the chamber 26 through the ports 68 and 74 into the short groove 64, and then through the groove 66 to the piston. The exhaust on the one-fourth stroke in both movements of the engine is the same as previously noted.

It is proposed to inclose all the outside gearing in a protective hood for the purpose of eliminating noise, but as such hood is merely an advantageously adjunct and not an essential part of the invention its illustration is deemed unnecessary.

An engine constructed in accordance with the present invention is simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and practical and efficient in use.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple and efficient means are provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, but while the elements herein shown and described are Well adapted to serve the functions set forth, it is obvious that various minor changes may be made in the proportions, shape and arrangement of the several parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed, is:

1. A rotary engine comprising a casing, a power shaft projected therethrough, a cast ing mounted upon said power shaft, pistons carried by said casting, displaceable valves in said casing, means for moving said valves during the rotation of said pistons, cylinder heads secured to said. casing, one of said cyl-- linder heads being'formed with a steam chest comprising independent chambers, said casting being formed'with steam passages terminating adjacent said pistons on each side thereof, a valve plate interposed between said steam chest and said casting for controlling the admission and exhaust of steam between said casing and said'ste'am chest, a throttle valve for controlling the admission of steam to and the exhaust of steam from said respective chambers of said steam chest, means'for moving said valve plate and means for simultaneously moving said throttle valve.

2. A steam engine of the type set forth, comprising a cylindrical casing, a power shaft projected therethrough, a casting carried by said power shaft, pistons carried by said. casting, displaceable valves in said casing for cooperating said pistons, means'for moving said valves during the rotation of said pistons, cylinder heads secured to said casing, one of said cylinder heads being formed with a steam chest, said steam chest being formed with independent steam chambers, a controlling valve for admitting steam in one chamber and permitting its exhaust from the other, said casting being formed with steam passages discharging on each side of said pistons, means for controlling the communication between said casting and the chambers of said steam chest and means for correspondingly moving said. controlling valve.

3. A steam engine of the type set forth, comprising a cylindrical casin a power shaft projected therethrough, cy inder heads closing the ends of said casing, one of said cylinder heads being formed with a steam chest constructed with independent chambers, a casting on said power shaft, pistons carried by said casting, rotatable valves in said casing formed with recesses to receive said pistons, means for rotating said valves during the rotation of said pistons, a controlling valve designed to control the steam entering and exhausting from said chambers, a rotary valve plate between said chambers and said piston and formed with a plurality of ports, said steam chest being formed with ports designed to register with the several ports of said valve plate, means for moving said valve plate to cover and uncover the ports of said steam chest in controlling the passage of steam to and from said casing, and means for simultaneously moving said controlling valve.

4. A steam engine of the type set forth, comprising a casing, a power shaft projected therethrough, cylinder heads closing the ends of said casing, one of said cylinder heads being formed with a steam chest, said steam chest being formed with independent chambers, each having inlet and exhaust into one of said chambers, and the simultaneous exhaust of steam from the other of said chambers, means for moving said valve plate and means for simultaneously and correspondingly operating said controlling valve.

5. A steam engine of the type set forth, comprising a casing, a power shaft projected therethrough, cylinder heads closing the ends of said casing, one of said cylinder heads being constructed with a steam chest having independent chambers, a casting carried by said power shaft, pistons carried by said casting, said casting being constructed in one of its faces with curved grooves ar ranged in pairs and severally in non-alined relation, radially extending grooves leading from each pair of said curved grooves, and communicating at each side of the pistons, the outermost of each pair of said curved grooves being elongated and the innermost of each pair of said grooves being short, said steam chest being formed with inlet ports and exhaust ports designed to afford communication between each of said chambers with each of said respective pairs of curved grooves, a valve plate interposed between said casting and said steam chest and having ports formed to register with the ports of the latter and the grooves of the former, the ports of said valve plate being formed to establish independent inlet communication with the elongated or short grooves of either of said pairs, from one of said chambers and to establish exhaust communication between the grooves of the other of said pairs with the other of said chambers, a controlling valve having independent communication with the chambers of said steam chest and formed to permit the admission of steam to one of said chambers and the simultaneous exhaust of steamfrom the other of said chambers, means for manipulating said valve plate and means for simultaneously operating said controlling valve.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. ADAMS.

lVitnesses:

CARL X. HELM, JAMES E. HUNT; 

